Caedmon has recently reissued this engrossing collection of tales. According to the cover notes, they were intended as a cultural primer, providing young people with a bridge from the familiar stories of the Brothers Grimm to the parallel, but probably more ancient, versions told in China. Their appeal, however is by no means limited to listeners under the age of ten. The reader is renowned Irish actress Siobhan McKenna. Her vocal approach is intricate and never condescending; some listeners may find it repetitiously slow, but most will succumb to the rich cadences of her mesmerizing voice.